It is far from a happy new year for Real Madrid.

The defending World and European champions have yet to win a single game in 2015 and have looked increasingly embarrassing over the last few matches. First it was a blunder in the second half against Valencia that saw the team lose its 22-game winning streak.

And then on Wednesday, the team met with its seeming Kryptonite and lost 2-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey knockout round. Never mind that Atletico Madrid has not lost to Los Blancos in the four games since that fateful Champions League final last May. When Real Madrid plays its crosstown rivals these days, the team simply looks lost.

So what is Atletico doing that brings out the worst in arguably the best team in the world?

Physical Prowess

Valencia reminded everyone this weekend that to take down Real Madrid, you have to intimidate the team physically. This is nothing new, but it is a brand of soccer that most teams seem to overlook when playing the big boys. Part of that problem lies in the fact that these teams lack the skill to back up their grit so, when they do commit physically, they lose the edge in other areas.

Valencia has talent to compensate and Atletico is even better and more brutal. They outtackled Real Madrid 24-23 in this game, but attempted 35 throughout the game, emphasizing their undying desire to exhaust Madrid mentally and physically. They did pick up a number of cards, but then so did Madrid and many undisciplined ones at that. It is all part of Diego Simeone's plan and it always works.

Moreover, Atletico took 23 fouls to Madrid's 12 and picked up five cards to Madrid's three. But fouling a team is actually quite useful, especially against one that relies on possession and buildup like Madrid does. Atletico's fouls killed Madrid's flow and frustrated any attempts at continuity.

Formations

Carlo Ancelotti opted for a 4-4-2 and sat Cristiano Ronaldo, who seems injured. And, as a result, Simeone responded with an identical 4-4-2, which essentially told his opponent that he was going to attack, but still retain the balance to defend. And considering that he had two strikers at his disposal, two fast ones at that, he warned his opponents that the loss of possession would mean a swift counter with quick attackers.

To compensate, Madrid was forced into a more cautious game which resulted in greater overall sloppiness, a lack of creativity and simply a woeful display.

But the key to the 4-4-2 parking the bus strategy is that it essentially killed any space that Madrid's two central attackers, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, could find. Bale, a natural speedster, needs space to use his velocity and he found none. Throw in the constant harassment and double-teaming he was met with and you have a disastrous display from a lethal player.

And with Bale out of the picture, Benzema disappeared. The Frenchman is a great target man but he is best when he can use his partners to create space for himself. And without Ronaldo at the start and Bale essentially nullified, Benzema was unable to play his game.

Moreover, clogging the middle forced Madrid to play more on the wings where it was easier for Los Colchoneros to outnumber the visitors. 

Setpieces

Remember how Atletico scored the tying goal in the first leg of the Super Cup this summer? Or how the team managed the winner in the following leg? Or how it scored the opening goal in the Spanish League match at the Santiago Bernabeau? Or for that matter, how the team scored its goal in the Champions League final?

Here is a hint -- the air.

Atletico Madrid knows that Real Madrid has a weakness in the air and the team has ensured that it would make its big rival pay on setpieces or through the air throughout all of the aforementioned occasions. And on Wednesday, it happened yet again with Jose Gimenez's goal coming off a setpiece.

Real Madrid had been improving in this department of late, but Atletico is simply too good at scoring from the air and has exploited one opponent after the next. It is becoming a trend in these matches and should be a thing to look for in the second leg. For some context, a recent ESPN article, dated Dec. 30, listed Atletico as having scored 18 goals from setpieces, more than any other team in Europe, and it isn't even close. 

Real Madrid's Woes

Atletico brings out the worst in Real Madrid for the above reasons. But the team itself has a lot of blame to pass around. Sergio Ramos made a poor decision in the foul that led to the opening penalty. Alvaro Arbeloa looked overwhelmed throughout. James Rodriguez was disastrous and provided nothing creatively. One would wonder if he is still injured from the malice that almost forced him out of the Club World Cup.

And of course Ancelotti got his cards completely wrong in this hand. The 4-4-2 was too conservative and thus easy to shut down. He made no adjustments when he saw Bale and Benzema get completely manhandled throughout the evening and he did not instruct his players to play more directly to put Atletico on its heels. Madrid had three shots on target the entire night.

Now, Los Blancos need three goals to continue the defense of their Copa del Rey title. Otherwise another second half meltdown, similar to that of 2013-14 when the team blew the Spanish league title in the latter months, could be in the cards for this team. And this time it would be disastrous.